Mosul continued to face sporadic violence. On August 11,
three Islamic State fighters were discovered
in a tunnel and killed
by Federal Police in Hawi Kanisa in the northwest. The next day, August 12, a
suicide bomber was shot at
a checkpoint in west Yarmouk, while men in military uniform robbed
a house in the northeast. The Chief of Staff of the 5th Federal
Police Division General Hafez al-Tami told
the press 80% of west Mosul had been cleared. On July 25, the police gave the same
figure. Unfortunately, the Iraqi forces often exaggerate such matters. What is
not open for debate is that there are still attacks in the city nearly every
day now. None of these pose a real threat to security, but they show that the
insurgents are still alive and active.
A source
told Al-Akhbar that the Tal Afar operation wouldn’t kick off until after the
Eid al-Adha holiday at the beginning of September. That seems incredibly late.
Most of the forces are in place, so a start within a few days or weeks would
seem more practical.
On August
10, Asaib Ahl Al-Haq’s Jawad Talabawi spread a false story that Kurdish
President Massoud Barzani got the U.S. to exclude the Hashd from the Tal Afar
campaign. Hashd spokesman Ahmed al-Assadi denied the claim on August 11 saying
that the Hashd would be a part of the battle. He said only three people were
authorized to speak for the Hashd and Talabawi was not one of them. Talabawi’s
remarks were part of the ongoing Iranian campaign to undermine the Americans in
Iraq. Many Iraqis already believe that Washington supports the Islamic State,
so Tehran and its allies are attempting to exploit that with constant reports
of Americans dropping supplies to the militants, blocking the Hashd and
attacking it.
Another controversy surrounding Tal Afar was the U.S.
presence in the area. 70 U.S. advisers arrived
at the Kahriz base on August 10. That same day there was also a report that the
Americans were building a camp. Construction however, was to improve Kahriz not
to make another one. Again, the pro-Iran camp attacked the Americans leading
the Joint Operations Command to issue
a statement that there was no U.S. base in the area.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees talked with a family living in
west Mosul’s Resala. During the fighting, they sheltered in their basement,
until a lull allowed them to escape and head for a camp. As soon as the city
was declared liberated they returned only to find the front of their house
completely destroyed by an air strike or artillery. Despite that they were
still happy the building was standing, and their possessions were inside. Today
they have to pay high prices to receive electricity from a generator that only
provides around 8 hours of service per day. Their drinking water is trucked in
and stored in tanks, while a well is used for the toilet and washing. They are
making clothes to try to earn some money. According to the Iraqi government
79,000 people have returned to west Mosul, only 10% of the population. That
compared 165,000 or 90% in the east. The U.N. has increased
aid to these people trying to help them find housing, remove unexploded bombs,
and providing basic services. Life is still extremely difficult and several
hundred families have gone back to camps instead of staying in Mosul. Given
this new trend the massive displacement in Ninewa is likely to continue for the
foreseeable future.
In the last month, former Governor Atheel Nujafi has gone
after his opponents in the media. Now some of them are striking back. Ninewa
councilman Mohammed Ibrahim told the press that
more than 30 cases were being investigated for corruption involving Nujafi.
Ibrahim went on to blame all the problems in the governorate on the ex-governor’s
misrule. Now that Mosul is freed many politicians are trying to settle scores
with their rivals. This has occurred in other liberated provinces such as Anbar
and Salahaddin. The result has been deadlock, which undermines governance and
reconstruction, which are the two most important elements necessary for a
successful post-IS environment. Instead politicians are more interested in
jockeying for power.
SOURCES
Al Akhbar,
“Operation to start after Eid al-Adha,” 8/11/17
Baghdad Post, “Despite liberation, Mosul suffers tragic
humanitarian situation,” 8/11/17
Iraqi Media Network,
“Three terrorists were killed after being trapped inside caves,” 8/11/17
El-Khalek, Amira,
“Hope amid the ruins as displaced Iraqis return to West Mosul, UNHCR, 8/11/17
Al Masalah, “Joint
operations deny the existence of a US military base for Tal Afar operations,”
8/11/17
- “Ninewa Council: More than 30
corruption cases are being investigated involving Atheel Nujafi,” 8/12/17
Mostafa, Nehal,
“Paramilitary troops to take part in Tal Afar liberation: Spokesperson,” Iraqi
News, 8/11/17
- “Three IS members
killed, biggest explosive workshop found in western Mosul,” Iraqi News, 8/11/17
NINA, “Chief of
Staff of the Fifth Federal Division: 80% of the clearance and removal of waste
disposal of Daesh accomplished in right side of Mosul,” 8/11/17
Peterson, Scott, “In
‘liberated’ Mosul, ISIS Still imperils the path to city’s revival,” Christian
Science Monitor, 8/12/17
Shafaaq News, "10 thugs killed in Mosul and
West," 8/12/17
UN News Centre,
“Iraq: UN refugee agency steps up humanitarian support for families returning
to Mosul,” 8/11/17
Watan News, “Federal
police announced clearing 80% of areas of West Mosul,” 7/25/17
Xinhua, "Iraq's paramilitary units kill 9
IS militants in fierce clash," 8/12/17
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